Gum Inflammation After Porcelain Veneers

I went to Costa Rica and had six porcelain veneers placed. The dentist used to be a NY dentist so I felt pretty safe. Now that I am back, I think I should have gotten ten veneers. I have a very wide smile, which makes the nice white veneers look fake next to the dingy natural teeth next to them. I can’t take time off of work to go back to Costa Rica, so I’m looking for a cosmetic dentist where I live based on my insurance in order to save money that way. The problem I’m having is that I still have redness and inflammation on my gums. I’m guessing I need to fix that before I see the next dentist.  The first dentist said that it would go down in a few days. It’s been a couple of weeks so I think I need to give it some help. What do you recommend that won’t hurt the veneers?

Evie

Dear Evie,

The redness and inflammation on your gums is evidence of gum disease. If the only place you are seeing that is where you had your veneers placed, that means they were not placed correctly. They are supposed to fit seamlessly with your tooth. Without that natural contour, you will have problems with your gums.

Because the problem is the way your porcelain veneers were placed, your gum disease will perpetuate until those are fixed. I know you were trying to save money by going to Costa Rica, but this is going to end up costing you more than if you went to a skilled dentist to begin with.  I know you felt safe because he said he used to by a NY dentist. Honestly, though, does that really matter? He could be lying. But, even if your dentist was previously a dentist in NY, there is nothing to say that he was a good dentist in NY. There are plenty of bad ones.

Bottom line, these are going to need to be redone for your oral health. You are currently looking for the next dentist to do your porcelain veneers through your insurance. This is going to get you in a similar situation with your current porcelain veneers. If you want a gorgeous smile makeover with porcelain veneers, you have to look for a dentist who has invested in the training and has the skill to do that. These will not be the cheapest. But, having to redo the veneers because the “cheap” dentist botched it will end up costing you more than going to the skilled dentist from the beginning.

I would look for a dentist who is AACD accredited. These are the best cosmetic dentists in the country. It takes years to reach accreditation and they have proven skills and artistry.

This blog is brought to you by Nashville Cosmetic Dentist Dr. David Wickness.